I switched to MicroPython because the Wi-Fi Manager and WebREPL work on it, even for 1MB flash. With WebREPL you can connect to the ESP over the web, run interactive commands on that (very nice for troubleshooting and prototyping), and the WebREPL also lets you upload MicroPython code files, issue reboot commands, etc.
While I see benefit to both Arduino IDE and MicroPython, my recent projects teach 8-10 year old youth about electronics, and I cannot expect them to have laptops, or that their parents would grant administrative rights on their computers. Also it is very hard to explain how to install Arduino, add in the custom chip support, get OTA working.
WebREPL and MicroPython were therefore the clear choice in my case. Plus, their schools probably will teach them in Python anyway.